Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 21, 2023

Proof of any business model starts with a finished product or solution, sold to a new customer for full price, with high satisfaction for the value received. Here are some basic principles from my own experience that will improve your odds and keep you on the right track: Recognize that you are not the market.

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Customer Custom Satisfaction Sales 109

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2023

Today’s customers demand more than a good product; they expect a great customer experience. A few companies are leading the way, including Apple with their iPad and iPhone, offering irresistible stores with friendly experts, elegant packaging, and customer service that never ends. Don’t assume that early input is adequate.

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 20, 2022

As a startup advisor, I see too many entrepreneurs get distracted by technology or their favorite cause, and then wonder why they can’t find an investor, attract customers, or build a long-term business. Customers now put big value on experience, social impact, empowerment, and feedback.

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Customer Custom Competition Netflix 103

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2022

Marketing is everything these days. You can have the best technology, but if customers don’t know you exist, or they don’t know how your technology solves a real problem for them, your startup will fail. Yet I see many technology entrepreneurs that focus on the basics of marketing too little and too late.

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Marketing Startup Social Media Technical Review 141

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 25, 2021

Today’s customers are overloaded and overwhelmed by too much information, so making a decision is a challenge. You may think this is only important to your marketing and sales people, but in reality it doesn’t matter how great your product or technology might be, you won’t succeed if you don’t understand your target customer decision process.

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Customer Custom Sales Social Media 136

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 9, 2013

This is final part of a series that describes a sales methodology for technology companies or frankly many other types of companies, too. You know exactly when you want to sell to this customer and presumably it’s this quarter! Which customers to target: Elephants, Deer or Rabbits ? Unique Selling Proposition.

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Custom Customer Marketing Newsletter 324

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2022

Great marketing is required to generate revenue and grow every business, especially new businesses which have no brand recognition nor loyal customer base. Yet, as a business consultant, I still find many of you business leaders relying primarily on your technology, word-of-mouth , or location to attract necessary customers.

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Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 18, 2020

As a long-time business executive and adviser to entrepreneurs, I see a definitive shift away from customer trust in traditional business messages, and the executives who deliver them. I summarize the key elements of the transformation as follows: Customers are seeking control in a run-away world.

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Custom Customer Social Media Technical Review 173

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 30, 2022

Today’s customers are much more in control of their buying decision, as they have more choices and more information than ever before. Bloom’s classic book, “ The New Experts: Win Today's Newly Empowered Customers.” This is a key moment where your customer acquisition costs go way down, and your profits go way up.

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Customer Custom Startup Course 146

TechEmpower

MARCH 4, 2024

Focusing on generative AI applications in a select few corporate functions can contribute to a significant portion of the technology's overall impact. Key Functions with High Impact Generative AI is revolutionizing sales by enabling dynamic pricing and personalized customer interactions, boosting conversion rates and customer satisfaction.

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Generative AI TechEmpower CTO Hire Outsource Development 295

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 23, 2020

Today’s customers demand more than a good product; they expect a great customer experience. A few companies are leading the way, including Apple with their iPad and iPhone, offering irresistible stores with friendly experts, elegant packaging, and customer service that never ends. Don’t assume that early input is adequate.

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Customer Custom Design Product 150

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 16, 2023

Contrary to popular opinion, viral marketing has not eliminated the need for old-fashioned lead generation to bring customers to a startup. His professional background includes having held marketing-executive roles at big companies as well as startups. Email marketing. Direct mail marketing. Display advertising.

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Marketing Invest Social Media SEM 114

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 16, 2022

We are living in a new generation of business, where customers drive the experience, and highly engaged employees are required to keep up with customer expectations. The bottom line is that by directing your actions toward helping others pursue their dreams and customer dreams, you will make amazing progress in achieving your own.

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Customer Custom Coach Satisfaction 152

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 14, 2021

With the advent of the Internet, social media, and instant communication via texting, customer expectations for service, as part of their entire customer experience, have changed. They expect you to be there, to know their history as a customer, and to treat them with priority and respect.

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Custom Customer Social Media Design 171

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 20, 2023

Most experts agree that the pace of business change is increasing , and all the business owners I know are struggling to keep up, much less surpass the wealth of global competitors now entering the market. Potential customers these days rely more and more on name recognition for credibility and new brand adoption.

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Marketing Resource Training Startup 116

socalTECH

MARCH 20, 2017

Santa Barbara-based optical switching equipment maker CALIENT Technologies has launched its optical switching product into a new market. CALIENT said its CALIENT S320 Optical Circuit Switch is in customer trials with government and commercial data center operators.

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Santa Barbara Technology Marketing Pricing 100

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 10, 2021

Every technical entrepreneur is an early adopter of technology, so naturally they build things with people like themselves in mind. Unfortunately, for most solution markets, early adopters represent only 10 to 15 percent of the total opportunity, so it’s easy to get mislead on the real requirements of mainstream customers.

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Customer Custom Technical Review Product 117

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 26, 2010

Social proof is defined as “looking for others to guide our decisions&# and is also one of the most important techniques in acquiring customers in your company. Many of you have read or at least know the primary thesis of “ Crossing the Chasm &# the seminal book on marketing your products to mainstream consumers by Geoffrey Moore.

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Marketing Customer Custom Technical Review 294

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2020

Traditional marketing may be adequate for linear growth, but it likely won’t catapult you to Amazon’s unicorn status , or make waves in the business world. For example, I usually hear about an aggressive marketing budget, with a plan to penetrate a few big retail chains, and some videos to catch your attention on YouTube.

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Marketing Examples Startup Custom 170

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 11, 2020

They forget that adapting their company and themselves as their customers evolve is the key to long-term survival. Think of Blockbuster and Toys ‘R’ Us , both of whom missed customer changes and the move to online. Create an overt strategy to react to emerging customer trends. Remember when you were a startup?

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Customer Custom Examples IBM 143

socalTECH

JULY 13, 2021

Carlsbad-based Smart Earth Technologies (SET), a developer of LTE and 5G products for the water utility market, has been acquired by San Francisco-based CrescoNet. Financial terms of the acquisition were not announced.

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Technology Acquisition Tool Networking 113

SoCal Tech Calendar

SEPTEMBER 15, 2019

Saturday, September 21, 2019 -- AMAOC Marketing Tech Summit. The AMAOC is hosting their 2nd annual Marketing Tech Summit at UCI. Keynote: MarTech in the Era of Customer Journey by Annette Franz Four tracks focused on marketing technology, customer journey and career advancement. See [link] (more)

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Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 15, 2020

Young entrepreneurs often are so excited by new technology or their latest invention that they forget to translate it into a value proposition that their customers or potential investors can understand and relate to. Every business leader knows how difficult it is to keep up with a changing market. Personal privacy protection.

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Technology Social Network Training Startup 165

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 9, 2022

Although I’m not an aficionado of checklists in general, I really appreciate one he has included for keeping up with some of the latest technological trends that are reshaping business strategies, which should be the driver for startups to fill in the gaps. Are you driving the technology, or is it driving you? Cloud Computing.

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Technology Cloud Computing Social Media Networking 133

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 4, 2023

The world of marketing is changing faster than technology these days. Winning entrepreneurs have long since supplemented conventional print and video “push” marketing with digital online interactive “pull” marketing, and a while back added social-local-mobile ( SoLoMo ) to the mix. Proactively seek out win-win alliances.

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Marketing Technical Review Startup Innocal 107

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 19, 2023

The common reason given is that this prevents any competitor from stealing their idea and beating them to market. Entrepreneurs talk to customers and competitors talk to each other about the new trends and technologies they see. Evaluate customer response prior to development. Demonstrate a minimum viable product (MVP).

Marketing 105

Marketing Startup Search Engine Optimization Ideas 105

socalTECH

AUGUST 17, 2010

San Luis Obispo-based MINDBODY , a developer of software-as-a-service for the yoga, pilates, wellness, and spa market, said today that wellness businesses are signing up for its MINDBODY Finder product, technology which allows consumers to book and pay for fitness classes and wellness appointments online.

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Customer Custom Tech Coast Angels Technology 223

TechEmpower

JULY 24, 2023

Even when they have talked to multiple developers or development firms, we’re often the first to ask basic questions like “Who are your customers?” Who are the customers? Can you provide specific examples of different types of customers, what they need, and what the system will do for them? will you leverage?

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Develop Development Technical Review SEO 520

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 22, 2021

As I talk to many of you in my role as business advisor, I still often hear the concern for maximum return to the business and stakeholders, more than a passion for sustainably enriching the lives of your customers and team. This applies to your own team, as well as customers. Make every customer experience memorable.

Custom 114

Custom Customer Metrics Satisfaction 114

socalTECH

AUGUST 14, 2018

Carlsbad-based Airspace Technologies , which is developing technology for the logistics market, says it has raised $8M in a Series A funding round. According to Airspace, it is providing "time definite" delivery and supply chain services to the healthcare, technology, and aerospace sectors. READ MORE>>.

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Technology Funding Invest Customer 113

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 5, 2023

Technology is so key to every business these days that experienced business-smart but non-tech entrepreneurs are feeling deeper and deeper in the hole. Startups succeed most often when the founding partners know how to build and run a business, rather than how to build and run technology.

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Entrepreneur Technology High Tech Startup 104

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 30, 2021

Self-driving and robotics startup Cartken has partnered with REEF Technology, a startup that operates parking lots and neighborhood hubs, to bring self-driving delivery robots to the streets of downtown Miami. Starship Technologies CEO Lex Bayer on focus and opportunity in autonomous delivery. Image Credits: REEF/Cartken.

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Google Technology Artificial Inteligence Chief Technology Officer 189

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 4, 2017

Not so long ago, every business assumed that the keys to success were the highest quality product, the best value for the buck, and the best customer service. Now all we hear about is providing the best “customer experience.” You have to hear your customer’s dreams, goals, passions, and aspirations.

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Customer Custom Product Marketing 85

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 4, 2023

Businesses see this as the Holy Grail for finally being able to predict who, where, and when customers will buy their existing solutions, and what their future solutions must look like to be attractive. According to published estimates , ninety percent of the data in the world today was captured in the last two years, at roughly 2.5

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Customer Custom Social Media Examples 115

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 10, 2020

The world of marketing is changing faster than technology these days. Winning entrepreneurs have long since supplemented conventional print and video “push” marketing with digital online interactive “pull” marketing, and a while back added social-local-mobile ( SoLoMo ) to the mix. Proactively seek out win-win alliances.

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Mobile Marketing Technical Review Startup 173

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2021

While you all recognize that reacting to weak market signals is critical to staying in business and staying competitive, I find that many don’t have the skills and focus to trigger change decisions on a timely basis. You may be getting killed today by customer expectations you never worried about just a few years ago.

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Marketing Social Media Metrics Custom 162

socalTECH

APRIL 16, 2019

Santa Barbara-based software developer HG Insights is powering a new market research offering from research and advisory giant Forrester, to power Forrester's new Business Technographics Service.

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